


Bittersweet

by Holyangelheart



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fairies, Flower fairies, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Sappy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-11 09:17:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13521207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Holyangelheart/pseuds/Holyangelheart
Summary: One summer day, a Gaillardia Fairy (Keith) decides to venture into the forest. He immediately meets the Nightshade Fairy (Shiro). A short, but hopefully sweet fic. My Pinch Hit forJupitertritonon Tumblr! I hope you enjoy!





	Bittersweet

Quotes and Art from “The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies” by Cicely Mary Barker

 

The Song of The Nightshade Fairy:

“My name is Nightshade, also Bittersweet;

Ah, little folk, be wise!

Hide you your hands behind you when we meet,

     Turn you away your eyes.

My flowers you shall not pick, nor berries eat,

     For in them poison lies.”

 

The Song of the Gaillardia Fairy:

“There once was a child in a garden,

     Who loved all my colors of flame,

The crimson and scarlet and yellow—

_But what was my name?_

 

For _Gaillardia_ ’ _s_ hard to remember!

     She looked at me yellow and red.

And thought of the gold and the glory

     When the sun goes to bed;

 

And she trouble no more to remember,

     But gave me a splendid new name;

She spoke of flowers as _Sunsets_ —

     Then _you_ do the same!”

 

* * *

 

 

Grassy hills; hundreds of blades bending in the wind. Houses lined up along a paved road. Close, but comfortably so. Brick bungalows with chimneys that stuck out of the rooftops and bushes that led up to the front door. The backyard was large with a well-cared for garden. At the center of the garden was a gazebo with a small round table and two chairs; perfect for afternoon tea. A stone path ran through the middle of the garden before circling around the gazebo and returning to separate the flowers towards the back of the yard. The lively flowers there represented all the colors of the rainbow: vibrant reds, yellows, pinks, and purple petals with different sized green leaves to match. The stone path stopped at a white wooden gate that matched the fence around the entire backyard.

Behind the house and garden were woods where the wildflowers grow freely. The different plants were often poisonous if touched or digested. The fence and three feet of lush grass was all that kept the two worlds apart.

After days of rain and harsh winds, the sun finally peered through the clouds. Sunlight illuminated the earth, allowing the numerous plants and animals to breathe. Flowers began to open and revealed tiny beings with colorful clothes and butterfly wings. They stretched and yawned, their clothes matching their individual flower beds.

The tiny fairies smiled at each other as they blinked the sleep away. Now that the sun was finally out, they could finally play!

The Polyanthus Fairy with its pretty red and yellow dress and matching blossom hat smiled at the Grape Hyacinth Fairy that sat on the ground in his violet hood and top. The Geranium Fairy laughed happily as she rested in her green and red gown. Everyone was up and about now, but there was one fairy missing. Oh, it was the Gaillardia Fairy of course!

A short tempered, but kind fellow born from the sunflower family. His flame colored petals stuck out around the bottom of his top, his green bottoms flaring out all the same. His black hair wild and pushed back to defy gravity. His flowers encompassed the middle of the garden to gather the most sunlight away from the house and the shade of the forest behind them.

The Gaillardia Fairy stood on top of a Heliotrope leaf as some of its leaves peaked outside of the fence. It had been a while since anyone had trimmed the overgrowth due to the rain. He smiled as he inched forward, avoiding the small purple flowers that gathered in bunches from the top of the stems. Luckily, the Heliotrope Fairy was playing in the Lavender part of the garden. The two purple girls held hands and braided each other’s hair. Butterflies with wings alike the Lavender Fairy pollinated the blooms around them.

No one would notice his disappearance until nightfall.

A cloud shaded the sun, enveloping the land in darkness and he took off towards the forest. He did not stop until he reached the shade of a large leaf and the sun reappeared. No one moved; he was safe.

Before he could pat himself on the back, he heard rustling behind him. The forest was much darker than he imagined. The treetops shaded the entire area, the sunlight filtering through the hundreds of leaves.  Was it an animal? Or perhaps a human?

He grabbed a stick from the ground and held it before him, grasping the end with both hands. He stood with his knees bent as he scanned the area around him. A melodious hum brought his attention to a plant that sat on the ground a meter away. The leaves were green, reminding him of mint leaves from the garden. The flowers drooped downward, some opened to reveal yellow pods while others remained closed. They were tiny, but the deep purple hue was unlike any he had ever seen before.

Sitting on one of the thin stems was a fairy clad in purple and green. Their shirt was baggy, the sleeves flowing at the wrist. A deep V around their neck dipped towards their stomach and showed the taut skin beneath. Green shorts and light green leggings covered their legs and purple shoes protected their feet. Their wings were a wonderful purple that matched the flower on their head, the yellow pod stuck out from the top. Their voice was deep and earthy, a comforting sound that made him want to pray to the Earth and dance under the starry sky.

He stepped closer, a twig snapped under his feet. The mysterious fairy stopped and gripped the stem of his flowers with narrowed eyes. “Who goes there?”

The Gaillardia Fairy flew closer, his eyes focused on the other. Before he spoke, the fairy stood.

“A garden fairy?” The fairy asked. Now that the two were only centimeters apart, they could see each other’s faces properly. The odd fairy had short black hair and a scar across the bridge of his nose. “Why have you come here?”

He frowned. “I can if I wish.”

“No, you cannot,” the fairy said.

“Yes, I can,” he stated. He crossed his arms and planted his feet firmly on the ground.

The fairy sighed. “Do as you wish, Garden Fairy.”

“Good,” he said.  He almost flew away, but hesitated. “…I am a Gaillardia Fairy.”

“So?” The other asked.

“What is yours?” He asked.

“…I am a Nightshade Fairy.”

“Nightshade,” he cooed. The name was magnificent, if only his name was as cool. “That is a beautiful name.”

“No, it is not,” he said. He gently touched one of his opened flowers and frowned. “There is nothing beautiful about me. All I bring is pain.”

The Gaillardia Fairy stopped at that. “Your petals are vibrant just like mine. See?”

Before he could reach one of the flowers, the Nightshade Fairy slapped his hand away. “Do not do that!”

“Why?”

“You may not touch my flowers for poison lies within them. Do not come near me; we are nothing alike you and I.”

“If your flowers are full of poison, then fine,” he spoke. “We are both flower fairies.”

He shook his head. “You are bright and wonderful. Your petals and wings resemble crimson flame, hot and warm all the same. The sun, even now, is reflected in your eyes; you are a sunset while I am the night.”

The Gaillardia Fairy could not move. Once, a long time ago, a human child who held the eyes of sight called him a sunset as well. It was when he was much more rebellious than he was now. For him to call him that, he must have known his name all along. He glanced behind him, the sun began to fall on that beautiful summer day. “…Then you are dusk.”

Eyes full of questions, the Sunset fairy confirmed his resolve. “Your beautiful purple and yellow flowers are like the sky when the sun goes to bed. When the light fades and creates a horizon of gold as night washes over the land. Your glory may only last minutes, but it is still breathtaking…You are breathtaking.”

“I…see,” the Nightshade Fairy said after time passed between them. His eyes narrowed towards the garden. “It is time for you to leave. The forest grows dangerous at night.”

“Are you worried for my safety?” He asked. A coy smile graced his lips without much thought. He smiled genuinely as the other covered their mouth as his cheeks grew rosy. He felt blessed.

“Perhaps, you can…grace me with your sunny presence tomorrow.”

It was the Gaillardia Fairy’s turn to blush now. “I would be blessed to see you again.”

“Likewise,” he smiled.

 

\---

 

“And then they lived happily ever after,” a man with an undercut and a scar across the bridge of his nose said as he closed a book. “The end.”

“Shiro…Are you telling them about how we first met again?” Another man asked. He wore a red apron with the word “Teacher” on it. His short hair barely reached his shoulders and his thick bangs covered his forehead. The other man also wore a similar apron, but his black. A group of ten children huddled together to attack the smiling man as he tried to hide the large fairy tale book he enjoyed reading from. “Next time you should actually read them a story.”

“It’s a wonderful story with magic!” Shiro grinned as he tickled one of the kids in the front of the group. He wore a blue shirt and his hair a brown hue. Another kid in a yellow shirt laughed and pointed at them. A kid with a green shirt and long light-colored hair joined in and each kid had a tickle session if they so wished. “A story where the two fairies fall in love.”

“That’s not until much later.”

Shiro shook his head, “I knew that day we met on that hiking trail you were special.”

“Really?” Keith laughed. “I had twigs and leaves stuck in my hair. You were Mr. Perfect.”

He shrugged. “You’re my Mr. Perfect.”

“Gross,” all the children groaned in unison. “Miss Allura! Shiro and Keith are being lovey-dovey again.”

Allura smiled and shook her head. She then clapped her hands together and smiled brightly at the little kids. “Come on everyone, it’s nap time!”

Some children groaned louder while others yawned. The trio shook their heads. The blue and green shirt children clung onto Shiro while the yellow one hugged Keith. “We want to hear another story, Mr. Shiro!”

“Another story?” Shiro asked. He wiggled his eyebrows at Keith. “Maybe this time Mr. Keith should read one this time.”

“Please!” They said in unison.

Keith rolled his eyes but smiled. “After nap time.”

More groans ensued.

\--- 


End file.
